‘Green is Working’, Stop Climate Chaos activists say

‘Green is Working’, Stop Climate Chaos activists say

New Green Party of England and Wales leader Natalie Bennett was among those taking part today in an event aiming to 'Stop Climate Chaos'.

Environmental and church-based agencies were also prominent in the vigil and protest.

From 9.30am, members of the Stop Climate Chaos Coalition, an organisation which campaigns against environmental damage, gathered at Westminster Central Hall, the national Methodist venue near parliament, to take part in a demonstration aimed at showing that ‘Green is Working’.

Hundreds of people, including members of the public, representatives from non-governmental organisations, and social groups then marched to the Treasury, to unveil a banner based on Saatchi and Saatchi’s now infamous ‘Labour isn’t working’ 1979 General Election campaign poster for the Conservatives.

Featuring a folded white shirt, tied with a green tie, the banner states: ‘A third of the UK’s economic growth is from green business. It’s time David Cameron took the green economy seriously. #green is working.’

The opening statement is taken from the CBI’s September report, entitled ‘How the UK can make the most of green growth’, which shows that show green business is the only sector bucking the recession, with 4.7 per cent growth from 2010-11, providing an extra £5.4 billion of economic activity.

It is a message the Green Party has been publicising – and used as part of its campaign in the run-up to the General Election of 2010: the green economy is vital and must lead the UK’s economic recovery.

Ms Bennett commented: "It was great to see such a wide range of groups represented, from the Women’s Institute, RSPB and PCS to the World Development Movement, Christian Ecology Group and Tearfund. These groups represent strong nationwide concern about the government’s chaotic handling of energy policy."

She added: "Even the CBI says that green measures are absolutely crucial for Britain’s economy, a view we have long known to be true."